1811. 
SONOROUS ROCKS. 
277 
detained us three quarters of an hour, to bind them together ; which 
was done with thongs of ox-hide, which, experience teaches, is the 
only cord strong enough to be used while travelling over a country 
like this. 
We arrived at Kleiiie Kxmgga Fontein^ (Little Kwakka, or 
Quakka, fountain,) by moon-light. 
The next morning, plenty of excellent water was found ; 
but, on the other hand, fire-wood was here exceedingly scarce. The 
weather, however, was warm enough by day, the thermometer being 
76° (24°-4 Centig.) . At midnight, it was 44° (6°-6 C.) . 
To Dwaal river, our next station, was a distance of nineteen 
miles, over a flat country, and a delightfully level, smooth road. * 
Its name, as I was told, was given by a hunting party of the earlier 
colonists, who here lost their way, as the name implies. We reached 
the place by moon-light, and found that all the Hottentot waggons 
had arrived befose us. Their numerous fires had an exceedingly 
pleasing effect, and, being seen at a considerable distance, were useful 
in guiding us to the spot. 
I made a drawing of the scene ; and afterwards, with some 
labor, climbed to the summit of a rocky conical hill, intending to take 
the magnetic bearings of our road, and of some remarkable mountains 
seen in the distance ; but the great quantity of iron contained in the 
stone, and with which it was intimately combined in an oxydated 
state, rendered my compass useless, as the needle varied its position 
with every change of place. Some large detached masses of rock, 
* On the road, species of tlie following geiiera were collected, many of which were 
quite new. 
Gazania Gnaphalium Selago 
Lidbeckia Medicago Eriocephalus 
Arctotis, 4sp. Erinus, 2 sp. Salvia 
Se?iecio, 2 sp. 0?ionis Pteronia 
Aira Malva Aizoon, &c. 
Calendida 
And a curious syngenesious genus, having seeds something resembling those of Trihulus. 
The Arctotis, No. 145 1, having large handsome white flowers, and being exceedingly 
abundant, literally whitened the plains. 
